Tarr Steps is an example of a 'clapper' bridge (the term being derived from the Latin 'claperius', meaning 'pile of stones') and is constructed entirely from large stone slabs and boulders.
Tarr Steps is an example of a 'clapper' bridge (the term being derived from the Latin 'claperius', meaning 'pile of stones') and is constructed entirely from large stone slabs and boulders.
Tarr Steps Woodland NNR is owned and managed by the Exmoor National Park Authority (ENPA).
The bridge is listed as a scheduled monument but, although it was once thought to be prehistoric, it is now widely believed to be of mediaeval origin.
The name 'Tarr' is thought to be derived from the Celtic word 'tochar', meaning 'causeway'.
The reserve primarily consists of oak woodland growing on acid free-draining soils, but pockets of richer soil support ash, hazel and sycamore, while drier areas have been colonized by beech. The woodland is important for its moss, liverwort and lichen populations. In the spring visitors to the woods can see extensive carpets of bluebell.
The reserve has a small population of dormice and the River Barle, which runs through the site, is home to otters.
In the past much of the woodland was coppiced to provide charcoal for the local iron smelting industry.
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